Many migrate to North America in pursuit of the American Dream: a better, richer, and happier life through social mobility and freedom of choice.
The idea of individual achievement through hard work that is available to all regardless of social class or circumstances at birth has the most appeal among the most ambitious migrants craving for a chance to create the best life there is.
It’s no wonder the United States is still the preferred destination of potential migrants.
Has the American dream moved
to Canada?
The Canadian Dream
Has the American dream moved to Canada? The answer in recent years has been affirmative as Canada ranked better than the United States in most measures including access to education, home ownership, and life expectancy, among others.
Canada’s social safety net in the form of universal access to health care and support for low-income families contributed to a more level playing field for Canadians as they are more likely to move upwards compared to Americans.
The Filipino-Canadian Dream
I believe that Filipino migrants in Canada has much to contribute to an even better Canada.
The Canadian Dream that includes helping others while pursuing one’s own dreams is the best platform to express the bayanihan and walang iwanan spirit in us.
This means moving beyond the zero-sum game of individualistic societies that creates few winners and many losers.
Having an abundance mindset creates more wealth for everyone to partake based on each one’s share of the requisite work to produce.
The tender balance of utilizing both the power of individual drive to achieve and the strength of a group unified by a common goal is a worthy pursuit by all Canadians.
The Filipino-Canadian Dream of an abundant, happy and peaceful life for everyone who puts in the honest effort required to succeed without taking advantage of or leaving behind anyone is possible in the framework of bayanihan.
The Filipino-Canadian Dream of an abundant (masagana), happy (masaya) and peaceful life (matiwasay na buhay) for everyone who puts in the honest effort (pagsisikap) required to succeed without taking advantage of or leaving behind anyone (walang iwanan) is possible in the framework of bayanihan (mutual help and cooperation).
Next time, we can explore concrete examples of bayanihan such as creating enterprises not only for profit but for sustainable benefits for all concerned.
